Sconalicious

I reckon the humble scone is to Wellington what carrots are to Ohakune. We talk about them incessantly in corporate (which are best? where today? toasted or heated?), excellent ones are found all over the city (it was the devil’s own job to narrow down my top ten), and they welcome us back with open arms when we’ve finished our festival flings.

While I've been recovering from all the Visa Wellington on a Plate shenanigans, I've been enjoying a few scones. So here are my top ten, in no particular order...

A lady in front of me bought 12 of these little beauties the day after Flo's re-opened recently. Man that’s dedication! (yeah alright, she was probably buying for the office). Flavourful and tender, these scones showcase the baking talent at Flo's, and they’ve kindly put their recipe online so you can have a go at home too. Nice.

Another that has a following. These give a wee zing and warm post-scone tingle that you don’t get elsewhere and look ever so pretty with the red flecks. Drop by any Mojo around the city and enjoy toasted.

I love Nikau’s fresh, light, and seasonal baking, including their blueberry scones in summer. I decided to take a break from cheese and enjoy the date - crunchy on the outside, and soft and generously datey inside. And in such a delightful environment.

Boomeranging right back to cheese, these griddle scones are partially cooked in the wood-fired oven, so have a crispy exterior and pleasing chewy interior, as well as a good scattering of herb. Their other counter baking looks pretty damned fine too, as you’d expect from the Egmont family.

At $6 this is a monster and well distinctive from others courtesy of the Red Leicester. Served with house-salted butter, it's enough for a whole meal or sharing with a friend. Keep an eye out for occasional variations like fennel seed and golden raisin.

When I’m needing something sweet and melt-in-the-mouth, I head to Clark’s for their date, apple and buttermilk with crystalised sugar topping – a satisfying crunch against the soft sweet interior. Consistently good over the years, and just the accompaniment for a quiet read.

The Ministry are another with their recipe online. Their cooking temperature is a little higher than Flos’, so I imagine that accounts for the crispier exterior against the pleasing cheesy interior. NOTE Bowen Street closes at the end of October, but The Terrace site rocks on.

This was beautifully tender and cheesy inside, while retaining exterior crunch. I also have a soft spot for their date and orange, as well as pretty much all the food at Deluxe. A great place to hide away from the world outside.

And I can’t leave this one out either. Bacon jam (chunky bacony goodness, trust me) generously spread over a warm homemade cheese scone. Alongside stylishly presented coffee in a funky setting, what’s not to love?

And then I spotted this...

Nearly a cheese scone (I now have cheese on the brain!), these were crispy with silky liquid cheese, and not polluted by onion, pineapple, or god forbid, corn. Three for $5, either toasted on-site, or packed to take home. And I'm told that Little Peckish scones are pretty good too.